


Afterwards

by PullingSunflowers



Category: Kill la Kill
Genre: F/F, Post-Canon, Self-Indulgent, but thats the anime in a nutshell, they basically flirt without flirting, warning for major satsuryu fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-29
Updated: 2014-08-03
Packaged: 2018-02-11 00:12:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2045565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PullingSunflowers/pseuds/PullingSunflowers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The battle's won. The Life Fibers gone. A series of interconnected vignettes of our heros and their struggle to move on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Freedom

**Author's Note:**

> I should note that I won't be using honorifics in this fic. The only time that its used is when its important and means something beyond an honorific (in this case, Ryuko calling Satsuki "nee-san"). 
> 
> This is written in a third person limited omniscient point of view so, for example, from Satsuki's point of view, Houka Inumuta would be referenced as Inumuta. However, from Nonon's POV, she would reference him as Houka because thats what she knows him as. 
> 
> Ever time theres a line skip, theres a change of POV. Enjoy!!

She asks Ryuko if she wants to stay with her in the Kiryuin Mansion—she even offers to evict the four—but Ryuko turns her down.

“It’s alright, nee-san,” she says. “Mako would be really sad if I left her.”

Satsuki pretends it’s the tea that makes her mouth so bitter.

* * *

A month later, Nonon practically tosses a “midget oaf” into Satsuki’s study room.

“She wants to talk to you,” Nonon says as she slams the door close. The human shaped lump Nonon had thrown on the floor begins to unfold itself.

“Lady Satsuki!” Mankanshoku Mako stands to her attention, forming a military-like stance complete with a salute. “May I speak?”

Satsuki nods, her interest piqued.

“Ryouko,” the honorific Make uses makes Satsuki grip her teacup a little harder, “and I are going out! To celebrate. Celebrate living! And not dying!” Mako is making exaggerated gestures and faces but it doesn’t help Satsuki’s mood.

“I would like you to come with us!”

Satsuki’s jaw unhinges, ever so slightly. She doesn’t have time to respond as Mako begins another rant.

“Ryuko is living with us! The no longer back alley family, the Mankanshokus! The family that now runs a two-in-one infirmary and restaurant in the east district!” Mako makes a cross with her hands and points to where East would be. “I would be very honored if you accompanied us this Saturday. Because Ryu—”

“Yes.”

Mako visibly tilts her head so that it is nearly parallel with the floor, a dazed look glosses across her face. “Ehh?”

“I said yes.” The teacup clinks against its platter as Satsuki sets it down. “Where and when will we meet?”

“R-Really?” Mako does a small dance, as if looking for something before she finds her over-the-shoulder-bag is still strapped to her. Fumbling, she pulls out a map and hands it to Satsuki.

“It’s blank…”

“Yes!” Mako is still rumbling through her bag, “I—I—didn’t think Lady Satsuki would agree to coming! I didn’t think this far into the future, actually! But that’s great! Really great! Ryuko would be very happy to see you!”

“Mako,” Satsuki calls out, soft yet stern. This draws the girl’s attention. “What are you looking for?”

“A pen,” she answers, smiling.

“I have one on my desk,” Satsuki reaches for her ink pen and uncaps it with swiftness.

“Right!” Mako is still grinning as she recites the address and time. She bows before nearly skipping out of the room. “I’ll see you then, Lady Satsuki! Thank you!”

There’s a moment of silence as Satsuki stares out the window, wondering why she agreed even agreed.  When the rustling doesn’t stop, she lets out a long sigh.

“I know you’re there,” she says. “You can come out.”

In a blur, four Honnoujin no-star dressed students appear almost out of thin air. Even without their enhanced uniforms, the Elite were impressive in their own rights. Nonon is the first to speak.

“What a distasteful girl.”

Ira Gamagoori is next. “My lady,” he huffs, “should I attend this outing to keep you safe?”

Satsuki is sure it has much less to do with her safety and more with the inhumanly energetic girl that nearly bounced out of her office. She chooses to ignore his comment.

“You four are no longer under my charge. School is over. Take off those uniforms and do something with yourselves.” Satsukis finds herself smiling, even in her brooding mood. “You’ve done well.”

This is the first time Satsuki has ever complimented them.

Nonon is almost red in the face. Houka Inumuta and Uzu Sanageyama are smiling in a way she has never seen them smile. Not even when Inmuta managed to hack Gamagoori’s personal computer and find his chat logs with Mako.

“I’ve said this before Lady Satsuki,” Gamagoori is wiping nonexistent sand from his eyes, “I’ll follow you into the ends of Hell and protect you from the Devil himself.”

There’s a sound of consensus.

“What are we going to do with ourselves?” Nonon interjects. “You can’t release Inumuta into the world so he can crash the stock market again. And the Northern Kanto monkey, who is going to be his sparring partner?”

Warmth swells in Satsuki’s heart. She stands from her seat and bows, short hair brushing against her cheers as she dips low. The four gasp.

“Thank you. All of you.”

“Satsuki…” Sanageyama’s hands are quivering, his eyes bright. “I would be honored to work with you, if you will have me.”

“Your network security is going to be shit if I don’t maintain it,” Inumata says. His laptop and mobile phone is nowhere to be found, his usually hunched stance is straightened. “What are you going to do without me?”

They laugh.

For a moment, Satsuki feels that all is well.

* * *

Ryuko looks surprised that Satsuki is there, waiting atop of the hill.

They can’t meet eyes when Ryuko calls her, “Satsuki-nee-san.”

“Yes?” Satsuki still answers her, despite the nervousness.

“Thanks for coming.”

Mako squeals behind them. Somehow the girl has managed to set up a tripod and is mounting a camera onto as Ryuko and herself were speaking. “The two sisters reunite after a war torn battle! Hatred is set aside! Bonds of fellowship are formed! This is film worthy!” Mako presses a button and the camera is blinking orange. She quickly scampers to Satsuki’s right side. Ryuko flanks her left.

“Cheese!”

A flash. Satsuki is still blinking blotches from her vision when she is tugged down the street, descending the hill. Ryuko doesn’t say much, but she’s smiling. Mako drones on and on about how the battle managed to wreck the one and two star districts because they were close to the school—and because of that, business has flourished in the slums.

When they’re done shopping, Mako offers to take them to lunch at a café nearby.

“They have these delicious baguettes filled with cheese! Mom took us once, because we could only afford it once a year,” Mako is making a motion that looks like she is shoving hooves of food into her mouth, “I remember it exactly! Their hamburger patties are to die for.”

“Why not your parent’s restaurant?” Satsuki asks, suddenly reminded of the Mankanshoku’s previous monetary situation.

“Ryuko didn’t think the family style restaurant wouldn’t suit your exquisite tastes,” Mako breezily replies. Satsuki steps falters. Ryuko looks away, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. “I can totally understand! Completely! If I suddenly got a beautiful onee-sama, I would be trying to impress her too.”

“Mako.” Ryuko’s tone is dark and threatening.

“Did you know she spent an hour this morning trying to figure out what to wear? Would this be too tacky? Too bright? She was actually talking to her cloths! It was really cute! Papa got a good laugh from it!”

“Mako!”

“She even got my little brother to scout ahead and make sure—“ Something strikes Mako in the back, making her yelp. Satsuki is sure she sees Ryuko’s arm fall back into place but decides not to say anything about it.

* * *

 “Eagle One checking in, do you copy? The targets are heading to a café.”

“Idiot! _I’m_ Eagle One.” Nonon’s voice sounded over their hidden bluetooth, berating as always. Uzu has to pull his ear piece away so that she doesn’t break his ear drums.

“Would you guys cut the crap? You’re going to lose them.” There is the sound of Houka tapping away at his keyboards and they all wait until dribbling stops, “looks like they’re headed to the Café la Belliatia. It’s the only one on the street.”

“Copy that, Gamagoori and I are going in.”

Uzu steps off the rooftop, landing solidly onto an alleyway without help from a stairwell. Gamagoori—despite his size—is already down before him. They take the corner it immediately leads them to a quaint café. Uzu chooses an outside table, close enough to the interior that noise easily moved from the inside out. In a moment’s time, Satsuki and her two companions would appear.

“Eagle One in position,” Uzu says, sweeping his green hair from his face and smiling at a group of young women seated three tables down. He waits for Nonon’s reaction.

“I’m the fucking Eagle you Neanderthal.”

Gamagoori is quiet, disciplined as usual but he eyes him wearily. Uzu shrugs. Nonon is good entertainment. “Here they come,” he says despite having his back turned in their direction.

Uzu pretends to look through his menu and kicks Gamagoori to do the same.

“Senpai!” Mako sounds off, jumping from her current position onto Gamagori’s hulking shoulders. “I didn’t know you were here!”

He tries not to notice the drills that Satsuki is boring into his face. Uzu is sure if he looks up, he may be blasted away by her sheer gaze alone.

“You should have told me you were coming here! Then Satsuki can have a date while Ryuko and I are on ours!”

Through the bluetooth, Uzu can hear Nonon break something. Probably a drumstick.

Gamagoori flushes. “You and Ryuko are…dating?”

Mako nods excitedly and, for some reason, Satsuki’s face grows grim.

“Oi, oi.” Uzu waves his menu back and forth, as if forcing the tension to dissipate. “Girls go on dates all the time, right? It’s friendly.”

“Of course! Ryuko is my friend!” Mako, having completely missed the reason why Gamagoori was initially confused, flew along with whatever he said.

“Why do you all join us for lunch then?” Gamagoori asks, quite smoothly. Over the headset, Houka congratulates him for “not creaming in your pants”.

Mako beams. Ryuko is reluctant. Satsuki looks like she’s a cloud of thunderstorms, peering inquisitively at him. She’ll catch on quickly, he thinks.

The waitress comes around asks what they would like to drink.

“Water.” Mako is on cloud nine, smiling up at the waitress as if there were the sun up her ass. Uzu wants to snicker.

Gamagoori is too busy trying to look calm and echoes Mako’s order.

The circular table can barely hold all of their food, as it was meant to seat three at most. Ryuko bumps elbows with Satsuki more than once and only quick reaction kept tea from staining a long skirt that probably cost the wages of a small country.

Looking at them, Uzu can’t help but smile. He watched Satsuki run, desperately, for the first time in his life just last month. He’s seen her glide, strut, and beat a grown man to the ground without taking a step back. Even in the heat of the battle, Satsuki moved with tact, every motion calculated.

When Ryuko fell from the sky, he saw desperation in Satsuki. He saw the look of a woman so close to getting what she wanted, the look of a woman who wanted to protect—not destroy.

 Satsuki was still soft on the inside, he thought. That very idea made him smile.

* * *

Gamagoori insisted he walk Mako back to her home, which meant Ryuko followed suit. They had stayed at the café longer than intended, first because of the good food, second because Mako’s stomach didn’t have a bottom. The conversation flowed easily, mostly thanks to Uzu Sanageyama whose conversation skills drove them onto familiar grounds and far away from sensitive topics.

There were still things kept in the dark, things meant to be spoken only in whispers.

Gamagoori and Mako bid each other farewell about ten times, sounding off from each other like crows. Sanageyama stands in the background, as if enjoying the last bits of sunlight for the first time. Shifting from feet to feet, Ryuko waits for them to leave. She keeps shifting the contents of her pocket back and forth, the small box fitting awkwardly inside her jacket.

Ryuko watches as Gamagoori finally turn around and begin walking away.

“Good bye Ryuko,” Satsuki says even though her voice trails off. Ryuko stuffs her hands deeper into her pocket, as if waiting for it to come to life. Deftly, Satsuki begins turning around before Ryuko reaches out and catches her older sister’s hand.

“Nee-san…” she shoves the box of tea leaves into Satsuki’s smooth palm. “It’s just tea. But I thought, since you like tea and this one was…”

“Thank you,” Satsuki cuts her off, saving her from the embarrassment of explaining herself or the small gift. Satsuki covers her rough calloused hands with soft ones.

Ryuko lets go, the twisting in her stomach becoming much too tight. They bid each other good evening. She watches the group disappear around the corner. Satsuki’s smile is beautiful, Ryuko notes before turning away.

* * *

Satsuki lifts her head into the sky, the last of the today’s sunlight spilling onto her.

Her tea is sweet for the first time in her life.

This was freedom.

* * *

“She got her fucking tea!” Nonon was pacing the length of the room where Inumuta and Gamagoori are watching television. “Cheap tea!”

“Stop throwing a troll sized tantrum, Nonon.” Gamagoori intones, “You don’t even know what type of tea it is.”

“Who gives Satsuki _tea_? She could buy out all of the tea companies of Japan if she wanted to!” Pink hair flared wildly behind her as she walked, “how unoriginal!”

“None of us have gotten Lady Satsuki tea.” Houka chimes in, distant and typing away at his computer.

“That’s because Satsuki asked us not to get her anything!” Nonon roars, her voice three octave higher than usual. “If I were to get Satsuki something, I would—I would…”

Sanageyama chuckles from the doorway. Nonon whips her head around to glare at him as he stood there, hair damp and dressed in a fresh pair of cloths. “Satsuki is the type to have the world at her fingertips if she wanted,” he says, all knowingly. “Gifting her anything would be hard. She spared us the trouble.”

The other boys hum in agreement.

“The things that Satsuki wants…they’re things she can’t have."


	2. They're All Nerds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uzu and Ira find a forgotten sport amongst the rubble of Honnouji Academy. Nonon is cranky. Satsuki just wants to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I offer my most sincere apology. I had completely forgotten this was written in present tense. This whole chapter is written in past tense....by the time I realized it, I had already finished the chapter. 
> 
> Please enjoy.

“Take that!” Ira slammed down hard, putting his full weight into the movement.

With the cry of a samurai, Uzu readied his wrist and braced for impact.

“What the hell is all that noise?!?” Nonon yelled from the floor above them.

“Hya!”

“Urraa!”

“Ahh!”

 The door to the basement slammed open, revealing a severely irritated pink haired girl. “Would the both of you shut up?!” Nonon clutched her flute almost hard enough to break it. “How am I supposed to practice when you’re fucking screaming?”

With another war cry and completely ignoring Nonon, Uzu dove for the ping pong ball that Ira had sent his way. His paddle connected with the ball but it held so much force that made his hand relent. The ball ricocheted to the right, beyond the white line of the table and onto the floor.

“Foul play! That point didn’t count!” Uzu screamed, pointing at Nonon. “She broke my concentration.”

Ira smirked, crossing his massive arms. “Accept defeat Uzu Sanageyama.”

“Rematch,” Uzu slammed both hands onto the ping pong table, causing it to tremble. “I demand a rema—“

A shrill noise interrupted them causing both players to turn their attention to its source. Nonon was playing her flute in the highest scale and it sounded like a whistle blowing into a megaphone.  

“No,” Nonon said, face red from the exertion. “No more!”

“Go to your room and practice,” Uzu demanded, obviously agitated. He gripped his paddle as if it were his wooden sword. “Shut the door too.”

“My room is above _this_ room, brainless. I’ve been listening to you get your ass paddled by Gamagoori all morning.” Nonon snickered, “You can’t be good at everything, Mr. Athletic Committee.”

The lines forming a frown on Uzu’s face hardened. “Like you can do better.”

Nonon let out a high pitched laugh, eyes wide and her face growing dark. “The Jakuzure clan have been reigning champions of ping pong in the Kanto region for the last seven generations.”

Ira gasped, his mouth dropping. “You’re related to _the_ Shenji Jakuzure?”

“He’s a distant third cousin,” Nonon snorted and waving dismissively as if it were small news. “My parents met at the inter-high ping pong tournament. The sport runs in my blood.”

She marched over to Uzu and swiftly took the paddle from his shocked hands, shoving him out of her way. A smirk stretched across her face.

“If I win, you’ll stop playing?”

Ira’s breath picked up, ready for a worthy opponent. He reached around and grabbed a new ball without breaking eye contact.

“Deal.”

* * *

Satsuki woke to the sound of crumbling walls and screaming.

“Pivot you idiots!”

“I _am_ pivoting!”

“You’re going to run down another wall if you—“

Satsuki sighed. This was Saturday, one of the few days she could sleep in. With Bakuzan in hand, she threw off her nightgown and put on a short sleeve shirt and a pair of khakis. Whoever dared to evoke her slumber would suffer, she decided.

Today, it would be her four elites—although they called themselves her friend now. Satsuki found them at the third level of the mansion, carrying a ping pong table up flights of stairs. Uzu and Gamagoori seemed to be doing the heavy lifting while Nonon directed and Houka stood back.

Several holes adorned the wall where Gamagoori stood, trying to turn the table so that they could continue. They seemed so ingrained in their challenge that no one except Houka noticed her presence.

“Report,” Satsuki said, falling back into her old habit as Student Council President even though she had already graduated.

Houka responded automatically.

“Gamagoori and Sanageyama found a ping pong table in the ruble of the Academy and decided to bring it here. Nonon challenged Ira to a ping pong fight and won. I got dragged in to be a referee because Gamagoori claimed she was cheating.” Houka sighed and continued, “The room got hot so they wanted to move the table to the roof.”

Satsuki brought her fingers to press against her temple. “It’s too early for this.”

“They’ve been playing since last night.”

Satsuki quirked an eyebrow, breathing in deep. Perhaps this was what teenagers did when they weren’t planning the demise of their mother?

“Nonon. Gamagoori. Sanageyama.”

The three froze, each losing color in their faces.

“S-Satsuki….” Nonon jerkily turned her face to meet eyes with her. Nervously, she glanced at the holes made by their ineffective teamwork.

“Ye-yes my lady?” Gamagoori gulped.

“Why don’t you take the elevator?”

All three sweating figures blinked. And blinked again. A silence stretched across the stairwell. And then, all at once, noise erupted.

“There’s an elevator?!”

* * *

“No one will defeat Satsuki Kiryuin!”

“Together!” Nonon and Ira called out, bringing their paddle together to match the speed of the ball.

“Lady Satsuki,” Soroi called.

“Yes?!” Satsuki replied, swiping down to cancel the Nonon’s specialty spin ball.

“We have guests.”

Satsuki almost growled, “Tell them I am busy.”

Soroi bowed, apologizing. “I did, however your sister is very insistent.”

Thick brows furrowed and Satsuki caught the ball that Ira had just returned to her. It stung in her hand but she did not flinch.

“Ryuko?”

At the same time, the door to the rooftop swung open revealing the girl in question and her friend, Mankangshoku Mako. 

“Oi. I thought you were dead, Kiryuin,” Ryuko said, a wide grin drawn across her face. She stood with one hand on her hip and the other one carrying her school bag. Mako was already waving to Ira who, with his paddle, waved back.

“Pick up your phone next time, ne?” Satsuki couldn’t tell if Ryuko was joking or not. There was an edge to her teasing tone. “I would be so sad if I lost my onee-sama.”

Uzu snorted in the background. Nonon and Ira backed away from the table and collapsed into nearby chairs. Satsuki smirked, two against one and they still couldn’t defeat her.

“What do you and the underachiever want?” Nonon asked, already pouting.

Mako raised her hands into the sky, a speech ready to burst forth. Ryuko stopped her. “We just finished our make-up exams. I thought I might drop by to celebrate.”

“Typical underachievers,” Nonon snorted, spinning her pink paddle in her hand.

“At least they’re trying,” Ira said, nudging Nonon.

“Since when did you become so soft towards delinquents and the common mass?”

Ira blushed, a strange sight to see upon his giant frame.

“You should have asked for my help,” Satsuki said, “so you wouldn’t have to be taking these make up exams.”

“No thanks, nee-san.” Ryuko shrugged but flushed, “I spent most of the year trying to overthrow a certain President so its time I make up for my choices.”

Satsuki smiled, proud. Ryuko returned it. When it became obvious that no one was going to speak, Ryuko coughed and looked around. There were several large overhead tents set up, with sunbathing chairs put underneath them. The largest tent held a table with food and a refrigerator, connected to a generator. The four corners of what should have been a normal, worn ping pong table were adorned with some kind of metallic stick.

Houka sat with his laptop under one of the tents, typing away. Uzu had pulled one of the chairs and sat dangerously close to the edge with a pair of sunglasses on. He looked to be tanning.

“…is this what you do on your spare time?” Ryuko burst out laughing. “The Elite Four and the President are _nerds_! Ping pong?!”

Nonon served one of the battered balls at Ryuko’s face, who dodged it with atrocity. “To disgrace ping pong is to disgrace my family.”

Ryuko threw the ball back. It purposefully hit at Nonon’s feet, leaving a small crater on the ground.

“I’ll disgrace you some more,” Ryuko said, walking over to the stack of paddles. Mako followed, still grinning at Ira.

“I’ve never played ping pong,” Mako whispered.

“It’s like tennis,” Ryuko replied, remembering when she defeated the head of the tennis club Mako was in. Those were fond memories now. “You’ll probably be good at it.”

Mako beamed, “Do you think Senpai would play with me?”

Ryuko nodded before turning to face Nonon.

* * *

Satsuki had two more ping pong tables flown while they ate a late lunch, to the surprise of everyone. Apparently, with enough money, anyone can have almost anything airdropped. Luckily, Houka had spare motion detectors to attach to the tables.

“So that’s what the metal rods are,” Ryuko said, nodding and taking another bite of her sandwich.

“Nonon and Uzu would declare that Houka was being unfair too often so I had him install the sensors. Now, they can’t complain about scoring.” Satsuki took another sip of her tea.

Ryuko leaned against her chair and threw her head back, smiling.

“Satsuki-nee-san,” she said. Satsuki put her cup of tea down, making a slight clink on her tea platter. “Do you ever eat anything?”

Everyone stopped, the chatter quieted down. Houka’s furious typing to calibrate his gadgets paused. No one has ever outright questioned Satsuki, not even about her eating habits, and Ryuko made a habit to do challenge her every time they were in each other’s presence.

“I’ve been wondering that too,” Mako added and Nonon nodded. “I think I’ve only seen Lady Satsuki eat once. On the Naked Sol.”

Satsuki laughed, taking a rice ball from the center of the table and biting into it.

“I’m usually busy so I eat alone. Soroi can attest to this.”

Ryuko’s face turned grim, her smile turning into a thin line. “Don’t eat alone, okay?”

Satsuki couldn’t mask her confusion, her eyebrows scrunching and lifting high into her forehead. Why her little sister made such a big deal about eating alone was beyond her. “You’re always invited to come over and eat,” Satsuki offered, “and Mako and her parents too.”

“Really?” Mako said with a full mouth.

“Do you take me for, a recluse?”

No one dared answer the question.

Ryuko turned her face away, letting her dark hair and streak of red cover her eyes. “I’ll stop by once a week or so—to eat dinner with you. Or something.” A practiced hand took the closest butter knife and pointed it at Nonon, moved to Uzu and Ira, “you’re her friends. Keep her company too.”

Satsuki took the knife from Ryuko’s hand, the corner of her mouth lifting. “Already trying to boss me around, imouto-san?”

 Ryuko shook her head and yawned, which was especially strange since it was mid-day. Satsuki leaned closer and, because she was seated next to her, could see the dark circles under Ryuko’s bright eyes. Strange, she thought.

Houka interrupted them, announcing that the tables were operational. If Satsuki were paying attention, she would have hear Ryuko mutter, “Food’s better when eaten together.”

Mako was the first to react, swallowing and climbing onto Ira’s shoulders. “Senpai! Will you play with me?”

Ira nodded and they moved to the farthest table without greeting anyone. Uzu sighed and muttered something about being whipped. After wiping her mouth, Nonon stood up with her paddle in hand.

“Matoi. Are you ready?”

Ryuko’s tired eyes turned determined. “Ready to beat you down, Jakuzure.”

* * *

Things come to a withering draw between Ryuko, who beat Nonon after a twenty minute back and forth, and Satsuki who defeated Mako who somehow managed to overpower both Ira and Uzu. The two sisters were making dents onto the new tables as they volleyed back and forth.

“Matoi!” Satsuki heaved, her breathing becoming hitched, “are you panting already?”

“Save your breath, nee-san,” Ryuko threatened. She took a spare hand and whipped her forehead of the sweat that was clouding her vision, “I’m going to enjoy knocking it out of you.”

Every one of Ryuko’s move was countered perfectly by Satsuki, as if she knew the projection of the ball before Ryuko hit it. Perhaps this was what Uzu was talking about when he said he could feel the universe. Ryuko could close her eyes and still know the path of the ball for Satsuki’s return. It was a game of endurance now and she was sure she had more than Satsuki.

Ryuko wondered if this was caused by their continuous fighting against and then with each other. Even though they were in different bodies on the opposite sides of the net, the back and forth felt like a silent conversation that could go on forever.  A conversation, she thought, where she could predict what Satsuki would say before she said it. The thought made her chest ache for some reason.

Houka stopped them at the thirty minute mark.

“You’re….lucky…” Ryuko managed, forcing herself to keep standing by leaning against the table. Tiredness was pressing into her bones now that adrenaline wasn’t keeping her sore muscles moving.

“I beg your pardon…” Satsuki looked to be in the same condition at her, “You’re lucky…to not be humiliated…”

Soroi wheeled a cart of tea over to Satsuki; she took the cup and drank it whole, quite dramatically. Mako was quick to be at Ryuko’s side with a water bottle. Ryuko drank it and crushed the bottle before throwing it behind her, letting it land perfecting in the wastebasket without breaking eye contact.

“Man…”Uzu sat back, pushing up his sunglasses. “Those two don’t change.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, the "Pivot" scene was an tip of the hat to Friends. :) Feel free to throw prompts my way at auburnskies24.tumblr.com

**Author's Note:**

> I figured, well if I'm going to hell for liking girls, I might as well take the high speed bullet train down there by shipping these two. Haha, not really. I'm being self indulgent.


End file.
